


I'm Saving the Last Dance For You

by mandagrammy



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M, Romance, new years fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 10:12:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3064007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandagrammy/pseuds/mandagrammy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the end of 2005 and Brian Kinney is regretting his part in sending Justin away to New York City.  He decides it's time to make some changes before the year comes to a close.  Can he get to Justin in time to start 2006 out with a whole new set of rules?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Saving the Last Dance For You

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

Brian stood in front of his floor-to-ceiling mirror and admired the image reflected back at him. "Still got it," he mused to the empty room. Somehow the words rang hollow this time. Here it was, the end of 2005 and Brian Kinney was feeling like shit. The only person whose opinion really mattered to Brian was nowhere nearby. 

For the hundredth time, Brian mentally kicked himself for being so adamant that Justin try life outside the Pitts. The kid was doing great, as Brian had always known he would, so Brian was becoming more and more convinced that New York would become the artist's permanent home. Justin had been in town for only a few months when he already had a one-man show booked at one of the better galleries in town. He even had an agent signed on now.

Brian had visited Justin nearly every other weekend since the move but the short visits, although worth every penny just by seeing his face (among other body parts), were somehow a letdown in the end. It had become harder and harder for Brian to head for the airport every Sunday morning that he visited. Justin obviously enjoyed the visits too, but even he seemed to grow moody when Sunday rolled around. Brian realized he could always stop visiting, of course. That might lessen the pain of saying goodbye a little.

Even the thought of seeing less of Justin was unacceptable to Brian. A little Justin was better than none at all, he reasoned. He wasn't so sure about Justin, however. Surely the kid would get tired of their part time affair sooner or later. He was bound to find someone in New York that he could connect with on a more permanent basis. An unpleasant chill swept through Brian at that thought. Damn it, he had become what he hated most... a jealous boyfriend. But there it was. He wanted Justin to belong to him and no one else. Screw it! He had always claimed to be as honest as they come so now was the time to prove it. He was going to visit Justin for the New Year's Eve holiday and tell the gorgeous blond how he really felt. If he had to move his whole fucking business to New York City, he would. He didn't know about it being noble to make sacrifices for the one you loved, but it sure as hell was smart, and the right damned thing to do!

Twenty minutes later, Brian logged off his computer with his e-ticket for the next flight to New York City bought and paid for. Justin had already been told that Brian couldn't see him till the following weekend, after the New Year. Unlike the surprise trip to California that Brian had never taken, he sure as hell wasn't missing this trip. Brian's future hung in the balance on this one.

*******************************************

Justin stared in the cracked mirror behind his bathroom door and decided that the outfit would have to do. Daphne had come down for the long weekend and made plans to take her friend (Justin's roommate) and Justin to The Rainbow Room on the sixty fifth floor of Rockefeller Center for their New Year's Eve celebration. She had made reservations some months earlier after inheriting a tidy sum from her recently deceased Grandfather, but kept it a secret until Christmas day. She was well aware of how miserable Justin was without Brian and she wanted desperately to help him get over his end-of-the-year blues.

Justin was grateful to Daph for caring about him so much, but he would have preferred a cheap meal in a dive with Brian over a fancy meal in an upscale restaurant with anyone else. Since Brian said he couldn't see Justin for New Years, he decided that Daphne's offer was a good one. All the excitement and crowds might help ease his longing for Brian, although he doubted it.

Justin had been moderately successful since moving to New York. He liked his agent and the woman was doing a good job for him. He had only sold a few less expensive pieces so far, but he had a one-man show coming up soon and the exposure would be even more valuable than the money he made from sales.

All this was good, but Justin still felt something was wrong. A big problem was that his angst was beginning to show up in his work. He didn't feel as inspired as he used to. He thought back to all the hundreds of times that Brian would come up behind him when he was working on a piece and praise him for his work. It had always made Justin want to do even better. Brian's opinion was like gold to Justin. That was one of the things he missed most due to their separation. Well, one of the many things. The list was really quite long.

He missed the feel and taste of Brian something fierce. The all too brief weekend visits were just not satisfying enough. Well, they were far better than nothing at all, but every time Sunday rolled around and Brian got ready to leave for the airport again it became harder and harder for Justin to put on a happy face. He was beginning to worry that Brian would get tired of his sulky attitude, but he couldn't help himself. Maybe one of these days Brian will have had enough of these long distance trysts. For God's sake, he was a busy man with two businesses to run. He couldn't be spending all his time hopping on airplane flights, Justin figured.

Justin stood looking at his reflection and asked himself why in the hell he didn't just come out and tell Brian how he really felt. He knew that any success he had or ever would have in the big city wouldn't mean a damn thing if he didn't have Brian to share it with. Giving up Brian for fucking success was just too damned much to sacrifice. Any victory over the art world would be a hollow victory. And he knew that Brian didn't want that for him.

With that thought, Justin squared his shoulders and told his reflection, "that 's it . I've made up my mind. Brian is going to know next weekend that I've had enough of separation. I'm coming home."

********************************************************

Brian knocked on the apartment door for the third time... still no answer. It was after eleven and Justin was obviously out somewhere celebrating the New Year... but where? Brian hadn't let on that he was coming into town because he wanted to surprise his lover. For some reason he had been sure that Justin would be sitting in the apartment pining away for him. Okay, so he was wrong, but what he had to tell Justin was too important to wait. Brian pulled out his cell.

Justin picked up on the second ring. Brian could hear the sounds of lots of voices and music in the background.

"Brian! I'm so glad you called," came Justin's pleased voice over the phone.

"So, Sunshine, what you up to? Sounds like you're celebrating the New Year with a ton of friends." Brian hadn't meant to sound petulant but he realized it came across that way. He wanted to bite his tongue.

"Naw... just a few thousand. Seriously, Daphne is treating me and my roommate to a night of dinner and dancing at the Rainbow Room. You should see this place. It is really quite snazzy. You'd feel right at home here. Damn, Brian, I wish you were here! So what are you up to on this historic night, and please don't tell me you're in the back room of Babylon? That's too plebeian for a man of your tastes on this special night," Justin laughed, only half kidding.

"Don't worry, Dear," Brian laughed back, with his tongue firmly in cheek, "I'm taking good care of myself. I'm just glad you're having a good time too. I want you to have the time of your life, Justin. Look, I've gotta go but I'll talk to you again... soon. Later."

"Okay Brian, have fun. Fuck a couple of 'em for me. Later." He'd be damned if he'd let on how disappointed he was that Brian seemed in such a hurry to get to whatever lay he had waiting. He would have liked to talk a lot longer. He pocketed his cell phone and waited for Daphne and her friend to come back to the table. He put on his best smile... although certainly not his trademark sunshine smile... and decided not to tell her about the call. Daph had too many strong opinions about her best friend and his boyfriend and their unconventional relationship.

************************************************************

Brian walked into the crowded restaurant and told the maitre d' that he was with the Chanders party. He was waved through the ropes and entered the main room. Justin had been quite right. Brian was certainly impressed. The place was a designer's dream. The chandelier centered over the dance floor was breathtaking. Even more amazing was the glass floor that was crowded with dancers. Lights emanated upwards from the floor, bathing the revelers in prisms of color. Everyone looked stunning, but Brian's eyes were only searching for one party goer. It was less than fifteen minutes until midnight and he was going to have that blond in his arms if it killed him.

It was at that very moment that Brian spotted the object of his search. Justin sat at the round table with his head down and his shoulders drooping. He looked out of place among all the laughing happy people. Brian moved over to the bandstand quickly and got the attention of the orchestra leader. He brought out a thousand dollar bill and whispered something in the man's ear. The man smiled broadly, shook his head yes, and then forced the bill back into Brian's hand. Brian shook the man's hand and went back to the spot where he had seen Justin. The seat at the table was empty.

Brian felt a moment of panic. He scanned the crowd and then noticed Daphne dancing at the edge of the dance floor. When she turned, he realized that her partner was Justin. There was only five minutes left of the year. Brian moved towards the couple.

Daphne was the first to see Brian approaching. A huge smile lit up her face. A curious Justin turned to see what had her so excited. He saw his lover approaching rapidly. He was speechless.

"Hey Daphne. You look hot," Brian said, enjoying the irony of his words.

"You....you too, Brian," she stammered back.

Justin suddenly got his voice back. "What are you doing here, Brian? I thought you said you couldn't make it until next week."

"I lied." Brian looked Justin up and down. "You look good enough to eat. You must have been expecting me," Brian grinned.

Justin was about to say something else when the song ended and another began. Instantly, the trio recognized the song. Brian held out his hand to Justin.

"May I have this last dance of the year with you?"

Tears welled in Justin's eyes. He hesitated only long enough to take a deep breath and then placed his hand in Brian's.

"Only if you promise me that I'll remember every detail of this dance for the rest of my life."

"I promise," Brian whispered.

Daphne stepped away and watched the lovers as they moved in rhythm to the strains of 'Save the Last Dance for Me'. The few couples who pulled back, and were obviously disturbed by the two men dancing so closely together, faded from view. Most of the other dancers that had quit dancing stood in awe of the men who moved as one on the dance floor. The song ended as the leader of the band announced the countdown to midnight.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Happy New Year!!!" The strains of Auld Lang Syne began to play. Brian pulled Justin tightly to him.

"I love you Justin." He placed a kiss on Justin's lips that was filled with all the promises that he would keep as each new year rolled by.

"I love you too, Brian ." Justin stood on his tippy toes to place a second kiss as fervent as the first on Brian's warm lips.

"We need to talk, Justin."

"I know."

"I have a suite booked at the Rockefeller Center Hotel. Would you like to join me? It's just a short walk from here."

"And then we talk ?"

"Afterward." Brian gave Justin a look that literally sent shivers up his spine. A hasty thank you and see you later to Daphne, and the lovers walked arm and arm to the elevator. Oh yes, they would definitely be up until the wee hours of the New Year talking.... afterward!

The End


End file.
